Biologically speaking, we really are what we eat, but we still do not fully understand how past dietary changes have influenced human evolution. Understanding diet provides a window into the biology, ecology and evolution of an animal species. This becomes particularly important when dealing with extinct taxa, as fossilised and often fragmented remains are the only evidence left, and their behaviour and ecology cannot be directly observed.

Palaeontological diet studies so far have mostly been limited to one method, and have therefore been unable to accurately reconstruct the ecology of extinct human species. The Paleodiet Research Lab focuses on a multi-disciplinary approach, that combines advanced 3D computer modeling with palaeocological and biogeochemical data. All this is possible with the help and expertise of our wonderful national and international collaborators.